Instead, on January 20, 2025, Donald Trump took the oath of office for his nonconsecutive second term. He was elected the 47th president of the United States. The 60th Presidential Inauguration, in the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol. Chief Justice John Roberts administered the oath of office as Melania Trump held the Bible. Trump claimed he would bring about “the golden age of America.” Yet his short term has already set off momentous changes and controversies.
In the first weeks after his inauguration, Trump forced a series of ‘cabinet-level’ meetings onto the agenda. Most significantly, of course, on February 28, he hosted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the Oval Office. This was a significant turning point in U.S.-Ukraine relations during a time of increasing global geopolitical conflict. So it was that on April 26, Trump hosted Zelenskyy for the second time. This meeting happened while Pope Francis’ funeral was occurring at St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City, emphasizing the global character of his diplomatic forays.
His domestic policy agenda has been equally controversial. On February 25, he conducted a press briefing in the Oval Office, where he pointed to a map labeled “Gulf of America” while discussing health initiatives alongside U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. The very next day, he called a remarkable cabinet meeting at the White House. Elon Musk, the tech-octopus-du-jour, was in agreement with him, showcasing the administration’s pro-pod-innovation and cross-industry collaboration agenda.
So on March 20, when Trump rescinded the guidance, that was a very controversial decision indeed. He famously—well, infamously—signed an executive order to close the Department of Education at his signing ceremony in the East Room of the White House. Educational advocates are blasting this decision. It has ignited fierce protests from people who think we need to stop cutting federal ed funding.
The first 100 days of Trump’s presidency have thus far been marked by resistance and civil unrest. Recently fired U.S. Agency for International Development staff garnered attention when they left their offices with boxes, receiving applause from former colleagues and supporters outside USAID offices on February 21. This event, featuring bipartisan testimony, mirrored national anxiety over fast-tracked staff replacements in the Trump administration.
On April 5, as the sun rose over the Washington Monument grounds, demonstrators began to arrive for a “Hands Off!” themed protest against Trump and Musk. The rally highlighted the political divide over Trump’s policy-making and the administration’s effect on teachers, healthcare workers, and so many other industries.
No matter what side of the political spectrum you’re on, Trump’s presidency has given us some incredible visuals that have made waves. His inaugural celebration attracted a constellation of talent that included Mark Zuckerberg, Jeff Bezos, Sundar Pichai and Elon Musk. Their presence was a reminder of the deep ties between business interests and politics in the contemporary governance.
As Trump continues to pursue an unpredictable tariff regime that threatens established trade relationships, both fans and foes acknowledge that significant changes are afoot within American politics. His first 100 days have set his administration on a nationwide bold trajectory. Hundreds, if not thousands are waiting on tenterhooks to see how these positive developments materialize.
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